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Rouhani, Putin Talk on Phone

The presidents of Iran and Russia agreed last Monday to step up bilateral contacts, including over the Syrian conflict, in which both countries support Syrian sovereignty.

The Syrian government and western-backed opposition are currently holding UN-mediated peace talks as part of a diplomatic push launched with US-Russian support to end the five-year conflict in which more than a quarter of a million people have been killed.

The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani had exchanged views on the conflict and a range of other topical issues during a telephone call, Reuters reported.

Rouhani was quoted as saying cooperation and coordination between Tehran and Moscow were essential for peace in Syria.

“During the ceasefire, the political talks [among Syrian groups] should be accelerated but this should not halt the fighting against terrorists in Syria,” IRNA quoted Rouhani as saying.